Checking the oil level in the crankcase of an internal combustion engine of an automobile is a common practice for automobile owners and operators. Traditionally this service has been performed by gasoline service attendants at gasoline stations. With the proliferation of self-service gasoline stations, the task of checking the oil level in the automobile's crankcase is left to the individual owner. Often this task is done in the automobile owner's garage or other location in which the lighting conditions are less than ideal.
In order to properly check the oil level in the crankcase, the operator must pull the handle of the dipstick out of a dipstick tube located on the side of the engine crankcase and typically communicating with an oil reservoir associated with the crankcase. The dipstick tube extends upwardly away from the crankcase and has an open top end located beside the engine crankcase. The dipstick commonly has a cap located immediately below the handle of the dipstick which is adapted to cover the open end of the dipstick tube in order to seal the tube and to properly seat the dipstick in the dipstick tube in order to accurately measure the level of oil in the crankcase. Once the dipstick is removed from the interior of the dipstick tube, the oil dipstick is wiped clean with a rag or other piece of material in order to provide an accurate reading when the dipstick is reinserted into the interior of the dipstick tube. The distal end of the dipstick is then inserted into the open end of the dipstick tube and the dipstick pushed downwardly, forcing the distal end of the dipstick down inside the interior of the dipstick tube until the cap of the dipstick properly seats on top of the open end of the dipstick tube, and the distal end is disposed within the reservoir in proper extension to take the measure of the level of any oil therein.
Typically the dipstick tube has an open end of a small diameter which is difficult to locate with the distal end of the dipstick. Additionally, the dipstick tube is often in a location which is difficult to reach and poorly illuminated. Consequently, placing the distal or free end of the dipstick inside the open end of the dipstick tube requires both hands of the operator, one hand to find the tube and then hold the dipstick handle and the other hand to guide the distal end of the dipstick into the interior of the dipstick tube. Additionally, this task exposes the operator to the risk of having his or her hands and apparel dirtied and stained with oil dripped from the dipstick in the process of handling the dipstick.
Different apparatus for aiding an operator in guiding a dipstick into a dipstick tube have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,926 discloses a dipstick guide adapted to aid in the insertion of a dipstick into a dipstick tube. The dipstick guide has a frusto-conical skirt which fits over the open end of the dipstick and a guide handle with a slot therethrough. The slot is adapted to slide over the handle of the dipstick so that the dipstick guide may be suspended from the dipstick when the dipstick is properly located inside the dipstick tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,167 also discloses a dipstick guide which may be secured to a dipstick tube. This dipstick guide has a clamp which fits around the exterior of an upper portion of a dipstick tube in order to secure the dipstick guide to the dipstick tube. The dipstick guide has a conical housing which is coaxial with the axis of the dipstick tube and extends upwardly above the open end of the dipstick tube. The dipstick guide disclosed in this patent also has a small lamp which aids in the user properly locating the free end of the dipstick inside the conical housing of the dipstick guide.
Three additional patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,025,569; 5,145,005 and 5,241,753, each disclose a dipstick guide constructed of one piece of wire wrapped around the upper portion of a dipstick tube. At the upper end of the dipstick guide the wire is wrapped into a funnel member which may be moved to different positions in order to help guide the distal end of a dipstick into engagement with the open end of a dipstick tube. A portion of the wire connecting a center coil of the dipstick guide to the funnel member causes the funnel member to return to an upstanding position directly above the dipstick tube with the dipstick tube axis being coaxial with a funnel axis defined by the funnel member. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,154,005 and 5,241,753 also disclose different variations of a dipstick guide having a conical upper portion which is coaxial with the axis of the dipstick tube.
Each of the dipstick guides disclosed in these patents has a funnel-shaped portion which is biased or moved to return to a position in which the axis of the funnel portion is coaxial with the axis of the dipstick tube. In order to locate the distal end of the dipstick inside the funnel portion of the dipstick guide, the operator must move the distal end of the dipstick downwardly in a generally vertical direction into engagement with the funnel portion of the dipstick guide. Oftentimes, due to the location of the hood of the vehicle or other obstacles, it is difficult to properly orient the dipstick and move the dipstick in the proper direction.
Therefore, it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a dipstick guide apparatus which enables an operator to quickly and easily guide the distal end of a dipstick into a dipstick tube from a position other than directly above the dipstick tube.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a dipstick guide apparatus which comprises a guide member which is adjustably mounted in such a way as to enable an operator to easily find a dipstick tube opening in limited or low light conditions.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a dipstick guide apparatus having a guide member which has a portion removed therefrom so as to enable a dipstick to be removed easily and quickly from the guide member once the distal end of the dipstick is located partially within the interior of a dipstick tube.